Latest DMC News
- Merit Badge College 2026 brings nearly 140Scouts to Windward Campus on Feb. 14Article by Richard Guerrero, Jr. Valentine’s Day is not just a day for romantic love. For area Scouts this year, it was a perfect day to showcase their love of the values and learning adventures, along with a deep esprit de corps, that’s gained as part of the Scouting life. On Feb. 14, Del Mar College once again hosted the annual Merit Badge College at the Windward Campus. Troops with the South Texas Council Scouting America (STCAS), formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, spent the day during this skills-building event completing classes taught by about 60 DMC faculty and staff to earn highly prized Merit Badges for their sashes. Nearly 140 Scouts from throughout the 17-county area of the South Texas Council, along with others from surrounding councils, attended morning and afternoon sessions. Merit Badge College Chair Mike Jones, DMC Professor of Speech and Scoutmaster, says that there are currently 141 Merit badges in the Scouts BSA catalogue. As of January 2026, over 80 merit badge requirements have been updated to reflect modern careers, outdoor ethics and safety. “A new program in Scouts BSA is the Merit Badge Test Lab where prospective badges are offered, and Scouts can help pilot new offerings,” he notes. “Scouts receive a certificate upon completing the test badge; and if the National Council decides to make the badge official, the Scouts receive the badge, too.” Current test badges are Auctioneering, Wildland Fire Management, Life Skills, Physics, Sewing & Needlework, Dance and Psychology. Scouts were also able to earn more than one badge in a single class, which includes Aviation, Communication, Public Speaking and Crime Prevention and Fingerprinting where they can earn two badges. Scouts pursuing the Welding badge spent the whole day receiving instruction at DMC’s Metals Technology Building. Additionally, Scouts also had the option to earn two new badges that were introduced during this year’s Merit Badge College––Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity–– with the badges focusing on responsible technology use and practical skills. The full list of 26 classes offered during Merit Badge College 2026 included: · Architecture · Artificial Intelligence (AI) · Automotive Maintenance · Aviation · Citizenship in Society · Communication · Crime Prevention · Cybersecurity · Digital Technology · Drafting · Electronics · Emergency Preparedness · Entrepreneurship · Farm Mechanics · Fingerprinting · First Aid · Health Care Professions · Moviemaking · Personal Fitness · Personal Management · Programming · Public Speaking · Salesmanship · Traffic Safety · Truck Transportation · Welding Jones says Merit Badge College is a great way to accomplish two goals. “The Merit Badge College is an amazing opportunity to serve area youth in Scouting while at the same time showcasing higher education,” he says. “These youth take classes with Del Mar College faculty who are specialists in their fields; and for many of them, this is their first visit to a college campus and their first interaction with faculty, inspiring many to inquire further about career opportunities.”
- South Texas high school students showcased abilities during SkillsUSA Texas District 12 Leadership & Skills Conference at Del Mar College Feb. 5-7Article by: Richard Guerrero, Jr. It’s that time of year when high school students converge in Corpus Christi to compete in the Skills USA Texas District 12 Leadership and Skills Conference. This year, Del Mar College (DMC) hosted hundreds of competitors Feb. 5-7, as they competed for top spots for statewide competition later this spring. Organizers anticipated over 500 students competing at the district level, demonstrating their skills not only at DMC facilities at the Windward and Oso Creek campuses and Center for Economic Development but also other locations around the city. High school students from grades 9-12 representing 15 counties across South Texas––even as far away as Laredo and Crystal City––demonstrated their skills during a variety of contests ranging from architectural drafting to cabinet making to firefighting to robotics to video news production. Area competitors represented high schools with the Corpus Christi Independent School District––including Carroll, Miller and Ray high schools and the Harold T. Branch Academy––along with students from Alice, Beeville, Bishop, London, Robstown, Rockport and Tuloso-Midway ISDs. Among this year’s competitions were two themed contests. The Commercial Baking Job Exhibit Competition and the Nail Art Competition featured a thematic focus on “Cosmic Horizons: Reaching for the Stars” so that competitors could base their designs on rockets, spaceships, planets or other space-related elements. Overall, the 2026 USA Skills Texas District 12 conference included approximately 96 different categories with DMC faculty and staff, along with industry partner representatives, serving as judges. The competition wrapped up with an awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 3 p.m. in Wolfe Recital Hall on the college’s Heritage Campus. Winners will now advance to state competition, which will also be held in Corpus Christi at the Hilliard Center and other city venues across the city. High school students from across Texas will compete here April 8-11 before winners advance to national competition in Atlanta, Ga., in June. SkillsUSA is a national career and technical student organization that serves more than 395,000 high school, college and middle school students and professional members enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations. Given its immense size, the state of Texas is broken up into three SkillsUSA Texas regions that encompass 13 districts. Nicole Kindzirsky, DMC Industrial Technology Department Instructor and 2025 District 12 Leadership & Skills Conference Contest Coordinator for SkillsUSA Texas, says Del Mar College has hosted district- and state-level competitions for more than a decade, noting that the competition gives students an opportunity to meet and interact with DMC’s experienced and highly dedicated instructors as well as compete in the college’s classrooms and labs. She says, “In a sense, these District 12 students can feel what it’s like to be a DMC Viking while competing at the college’s facilities. Many of the pathways they have started in high school can lead directly into those we offer and allow them to complete certificates, an associate degree and even a bachelor’s degree as a DMC student.”
- DMC Board of Regents Holding Regular Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 3Article by DMC College Relations Office Tuesday, Feb. 3, the Del Mar College (DMC) Board of Regents will hold their regular monthly meeting beginning at 1 p.m. in Room 106 of the college’s Center for Economic Development at 3209 S. Staples (78411). Get online directions and facility map. The regular meeting also will be livestreamed. Community members may access the meeting by going to the online video link at www.delmar.edu/webcast/ by 12:55 p.m. A copy of the Agenda Notice and Board Packet is available online as follows: delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/_resources/regular-agenda-packet-2-3-2026.pdf Meeting agendas and other resources are also available on the DMC Board of Regents web page at www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/index.html. The health and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors are a priority for Del Mar College. To view the College’s guidelines, visit www.delmar.edu/rtc/index.html.
- Need your teeth cleaned? Del Mar College Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting Programs currently offering clinical services at “no cost”Article by Melinda Eddleman It may be a little too early for “spring cleaning.” However, it’s never too early to have your teeth cleaned! Or maybe you need X-rays taken and a review of your dental history. This spring semester, the Del Mar College (DMC) Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting Programs are offering services at “no cost” as part of students’ clinical training while they provide Coastal Bend residents a healthier smile and wallet. The Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting clinics combined provide a variety of services, including medical history reviews, blood pressure screenings, intra-oral examinations, dental preliminary assessments, periodontal assessments, dental hygiene education, oral cancer screenings, radiographs (X-rays), fluoride treatments (as needed), selective polishing, conservative periodontal therapy, dental hygiene therapy and dental sealants. Services are underway and run through early May. However, now is the time to sign up due to an extended commitment from patients for some services that are student-provided by the Dental Hygiene Clinic. The Dental Assisting Clinic is held every Thursday 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. The Dental Hygiene Clinic is scheduled Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. and only 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Clinics will not be held the week of Del Mar College’s Spring Break (March 9-14). The Dental Hygiene Clinic gives students the training and required hours needed to complete the program. Students performing procedures are under the supervision of program faculty, and patients’ care usually requires more than one visit. Patient selection is based on the educational and clinical requirements of students. DMC faculty will determine acceptance of patients after a “qualifying appointment.” For full details about patient selection, appointments and other pertinent information, visit the clinic web page at delmar.edu/offices/dental-clinic/index.html. The Dental Programs Clinic is in Room 125 of Health Sciences Building 1 on Del Mar College’s Windward Campus at 4101 Old Brownsville Road (78405). Access directions and the online campus map. To schedule a “qualifying appointment,” call 361-698-2854 or email dentalclinic@delmar.edu.
- DMC celebrating CAIN National Art Show’s 60th anniversary, holding opening reception on Friday, Feb. 13Article by Melinda Eddleman Del Mar College’s (DMC) Cain Gallery not only pays tribute to the late Joseph A. Cain, the facility also keeps his vision alive. Cain, who served as Chair of the Art Department from the mid-1960s until his passing in 1980, dreamed of a juried art show that would annually attract some of the best contemporary artwork created by local artists as well as those from across the state and country. Now celebrating 60 years of his vision, the Art Program with the DMC Art and Drama Department will commemorate his vision with an opening reception for the 2026 CAIN National Art Show on Friday, Feb. 13. This year’s guest juror is Brooklyn artist Tabitha Whitley, who will also provide a free Art Talk on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 11 a.m. in Richardson Performance Hall while she’s visiting Corpus Christi. The free reception is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. in Cain Gallery and features the 55 pieces selected by Whitley. The event also includes complimentary catered hors d’ oeuvres from Citrus Bistro and a cash bar. Additionally, the Art Program purchases artwork for its Permanent Collection each year, and those winners will be announced during the event. The reception is supported by an anonymous donor, Del Mar College’s Art faculty and the City of Corpus Christi Arts & Cultural Commission. The CAIN National Art Show runs weekdays Feb. 16 through April 17 with free public viewing Mondays through Thursdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. to noon Fridays, except during DMC’s Spring Break closing March 9-14. The Fine Arts Center (Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery) and Richardson Performance Hall are on the DMC Heritage Campus located at 101 Baldwin. Blvd. (78404). Get online directions and campus map. Questions can be directed to the DMC Art Program at 361-698-1216 or art@delmar.edu. This year’s CAIN National Art Show attracted 985 entries with 55 selected for exhibition, including 25 sculptures and 30 two-dimensional artworks from artists representing 18 states. “As an artist, I have spent much of my career on the applicant side of art competitions, so I understand how meaningful an opportunity like this can be,” said Whitley, noting she was honored to serve as this year’s guest juror. “With that in mind, I gave careful consideration to each of the nearly 1,000 works submitted.” Whitley noted that while reviewing entries, she “sought works that were not only visually compelling but also grounded in a well-developed concept, and I was particularly drawn to pieces that told human stories.” Whitley’s own work delves into themes of identity, heritage and our interconnectedness with nature. Her pieces have been widely exhibited with notable shows, including a prestigious group show at the Brooklyn Museum — Brooklyn Artist Exhibition — and a solo show at Gracie Mansion — From Roots to Radiance: Embracing Her Soft Era. Whitley’s art has also garnered attention in esteemed publications such as The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian. Currently residing in her native Brooklyn, New York, Whitley continues to pursue her studio practice, creating art that reflects her deep engagement with personal and universal themes. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2009 followed by her Master in Fine Arts degree in the same medium from the New York Academy of Art in 2011, where she also served as the President of the Alumni Association and on the academy’s Board of Trustees. Learn more about the artist and her work by visiting her website at www.tabithawhitley.com/. Regarding her final thoughts about the CAIN National Art Show, Whitley said, “As the accepted works came together, a cohesive exhibition began to emerge; and while the show was not required to have a unifying theme, I found reflections of my own story within it.” “As a native New Yorker born and raised in Brooklyn, I grew up immersed in a rich mix of cultures, languages and identities, so the diverse group of artists, [who represent] a wide range of cultural backgrounds and gender identities, reflects the communities that shaped me as both an artist and a person,” she said, noting: “This exhibition mirrors the inclusivity I hope to see more widely embraced within the art world.” Visit the Cain Gallery web page at delmar.edu/offices/art/gallery.html.
- Remote Operations and Instruction at DMC on Monday, Jan. 26, Due to Winter Weather ConditionsArticle by DMC College Relations Office Due to extreme winter weather conditions, Del Mar College will shift to remote operations and instruction tomorrow, Monday, January 26. Students should watch for guidance from faculty regarding online classes and assignments. DMC understands that some students may have limited access to technology, and faculty will work with students as needed. Supervisors should contact their staff members to provide guidance on meetings and work assignments. During remote operations and instruction, all Del Mar College physical campuses will be closed. Employees and students are asked to not attempt to come to campus on Monday. Normal operations will resume Tuesday, January 27. The health and safety of our students, employees, and guests remain our top priority. Please continue to monitor the Del Mar College website, email, and official social media channels for weather-related updates.
